Protecting the Ones you Love
by GrandMoffPooky
Summary: This story takes place after Sirius's death. Harry P. decides that he needs to train during summer to prevent any other deaths for his expense. Rated pg-13 for safety (srry if this summ. sucked)
1. Determined Eyes

Protecting the Ones you Love  
  
Ch. 1 Objectives made  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own HP...actually...I own almost nothing...that sucks...  
  
Summary (Ch. 1): This story takes place after Sirius's death. Harry P. learns to deal with this death during the following summer, supported by his friends. He trains during summer to prevent any other deaths for his expense. (srry if this summ. sucked)  
  
"Piggy" - denotes speech  
  
'Fat Piggy' - denotes thought  
  
Harry James Potter sat by the window, looking out into the dark night. His emerald eyes missed nothing however, seeing all that occurred outside his Number 4, Pivet Drive (A/N: Hope that's right, I could check but I'm a lazy bum...if not, correct me plz). He knew that somewhere out there, near or far, his enemy awaited him. The enemy that killed his family, the enemy that forced him to stay with the abusive Dursleys, the that had killed Cedric right before his eyes, just because Harry had badgered him to share the stupid trophy.  
  
He stopped that line of reasoning before it got too far however, not wanting himself to feel depressed, although he would readily admit that he was depressed. He had gone far in this aspect though, fighting off the guilt all through the first two weeks of vacation. Harry smiled as he remembered how his friends had come to comfort him, and he excepted it all eagerly, needing them very badly. They hadn't fail him either, they helped him heal his wounds.  
  
The wounds left scars though, mental ones that only those that looked into his eyes would see, so he avoided looking into peoples eyes . His friends weren't stupid and had noticed this after a few days, but they left him alone for the most part about that. They cared deeply for him, Harry knew this and was extremely grateful for that, but he wouldn't let them see his mental scars, at least the ones about Sirius.   
  
For in his dreams he sees Sirius in a void, just floating around in nothingness, staring blankly at the blackness around him. Harry would always try to get to him, but in his dreams he couldn't help him. After a few nights of having the same dream, every time he closed his eyes, he began to think, 'What if that is actually what happened to his Godfather?' and 'If so, maybe if I get stronger, i can get him out?' He had told his friends and Dumbledore, but they had said it was just a dream, but Harry was adamant in his belief in the dream.  
  
So he decided he would train and study to become powerful in the ways of war in both physical, mental, and magical. He smiled, he had the perfect man to teach him the physical ways, and some of the mental ways. The man he was thinking about had been a friend for most of his life. The man's name was Bobby O'Brian, retired military NCO who had opened a shop close by Pivet Drive shortly after retiring. Harry had met him about 8 years ago, when he was about 8 years old. (A/N: I think he is 15 during this time period, about to turn 16, correct me if I'm wrong plz)  
  
When Harry remembered that day he smiled, it had been bad day for him.   
  
-Flashback (8 years ago)-  
  
7-year old Harry charged out of the alley, desperate to escape his pursuers. He usually could escape them, but he had got cocky and had ended up tripping in the alley, giving them the needed time to close the distance between them. He looked back for a second only to see the group of bullies charge out of the alley, but he as on a straight street, which usually remained clear of pedestrians, so he could easily out run the slower, but more powerful, bullies.  
  
His luck held for a few moments, him able to gain speed easily on the straight, even sidewalk. That is, until a huge form stepped out of a shop right into Harry's way. Harry avoided slamming into the man only barely, but lost his footing in the process. He stumbled for a distance, trying to regain balance, and actually succeeded, but when he looked up, he was surrounded by the bullies.  
  
'Here comes another beating...' thought Harry, his face setting itself into a mask of defiance. Then a shadow fell on the converging bullies.   
  
"What's all this then?" asked a gruff male voice. The bullies looked up and Dudley, their leader looked up and the man that had interrupted his fun.   
  
"Nothing, right Harry?" asked Dudley, looking back down at Harry with a look that promised pain if he didn't answer correctly.   
  
"Course not, sir," Meeting Dudley's stare with one of own. The bullies smiled then started off, following Dudley's lead. The man looked down at Harry, who was still looking at the back of Dudley's head, wishing he could defend himself better.   
  
"You shouldn't give into them, it only makes it worse in the long run," said the man, "By the way, names Bobby O'Brien."   
  
Harry looked up, smiled and responded, "Names Harry Potter, and it wouldn't matter anyway, Dudley is my cousin and I live with him anyways, AND his friends are sleeping over tonight, so one defeat is better then many."   
  
Bobby smiled grew, "So true, so true, you want to come in and have a chat?" Harry smiled and nodded. They walked into the shop which dealt mainly in the strange and mysterious things of the world. Harry looked around fascinated by all the objects laying on tables and shelves. Bobby smiled at the child and moved towards a table and a set of chairs.  
  
Once they had sat down, Bobby asked Harry to tell about himself. Harry nodded and proceeded to tell Bobby about himself and why he was living with his Aunt and Uncle. Bobby looked apologetic and gave the boy a comforting squeeze of the shoulder. Harry told him how he had grown up being abused. Bobby looked angry, but Harry just shook his head and said he was used to it. After that Harry finished his (short) life-story with how he was always chased around by bullies, but also how he almost always escaped them. He then asked Bobby to tell about himself.   
  
Bobby smiled and obliged, telling him about his life and how he came to retire from the military to open this shop with his wife (who was out). The two had spent three hours just talking and when Harry noticed it was time to go, he got up reluctantly and said he had to go. Bobby looked thoughtful for a second, then asked, "Harry, how bout you come over again tomorrow and we can talk some more?"   
  
Harry smiled, then nodded his agreement with the plan and left for home. He spent the rest of the night locked up in his cupboard.   
  
-End Flashback-  
  
Harry smiled, tommorrow he would visit Bobby again, and maybe this time he would be able to meet Mrs. O'Brian, since even for 8 years of visiting him during the summer, he had NEVER met her, which he thought was freaky. He decided to ponder this later and to get some sleep now.   
  
He slept that night, having the dream yet again, but he had gotten used to it and it didn't effect him like it used too, all he did was say in his sleep, "Hold on Sirius."   
  
Harry woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and felt ready to take on anything. He got up, wrote a few letters to his friends saying hello and such. He then showered, dressed in muggle clothes and headed downstairs to get breakfast. He ate silently and left for the store and eleven in the morning. He arrived shortly after and walked in with a smile on his face.  
  
Bobby was sitting behind the counter of the shop reading a newspaper. He looked up at the sound of the door and smiled as his not-so-young-anymore friend walked up to the counter. "Hey Harry! You had me worried, you didn't show up when vacation began," said Bobby. Harry had told him he was a wizard 4 years ago and had explained all about the wizarding world, Voldemort, and Hogwarts.   
  
"Sorry, but my Godfather was...injured...during a battle during my school year," Harry said, his smile diminishing, then totally disappeared, "I have to ask a favor, Bobby."   
  
Bobby immediately sat up and looked serious, "I'm sorry for your Godfather, what do you need?" He was looking at Harry expectantly.   
  
"You used to train people for military service, right?" asked Harry. Bobby slowly nodded, beginning to know where this conversation was going. "I want to toughen up, so I can protect those I care about from harm," Harry said, he eyes carrying a determination that Bobby had never seen in the boy.   
  
Bobby thought about his decision for a few minutes, then he looked at Harry, "I would love to teach you, but it will be long, and it will be hard."  
  
Harry didn't hesitate a second, "I understand that, but this helps me protect the ones I love, and I will pay any price for this, whether it's money, time, or blood." Harry voice didn't waver and his eyes never lost their determination.   
  
Bobby looked at Harry for a second then said, "Ok, Ill do it, but you wont have to pay money, but you'll pay the other two."  
  
Harry nodded, thought for a second, then asked, "How will we do this?"   
  
Bobby thought for a second, "We'll use my country home, its got about 200 acres (A/N: I thought about this and decided to make it huge since it would best help the story, but for those that don't know, 200 acres is one big lawn to mow...) and we can train in peace."  
  
Harry smiled then nodded, "I'll go send a letter to my headmaster, because he needs to know where I am." Bobby nodded and waved as Harry ran out the store and straight home.   
  
'I'll help you Harry, It's the least I can do for some one who's going through what you are,' Bobby thought sadly as he picked up the phone and called his wife, "Honey, we gonna have a guest over to the house for about 6 weeks, so could you get the guest room ready?" He heard a confirmation and was asked who was coming, "He'll be coming home with me dear, but I know you'll like him."   
  
Back at Pivet Drive, Harry ran up to his room and prepared a note to Dumbledore:   
  
Dear Dumbledore,  
  
I am writing to inform you of my decision to attend a training session with an old friend to build up my physical abilities. Please do not be worried, because I trust this man with my life. I please ask you not to tell anybody else about this, because I don't want them to worry. Please take care and say hello to the teachers and Fawkes for me please.  
  
With Respect,   
  
Harry James Potter  
  
He quickly tied the letter to Hedwig's leg, gave to bird a petting, which resulted in a content owl, who nipped his fingers playfully before leaving for Hogwarts with instructions to return to him in the countryside.   
  
After the note had been delivered, he preceded to pack his belongings (not much actually) into his trunk and muttered the incantation for the trunk to shrink (A/N: I added that to the trunks because it makes it easier for Harry to travel...) and stuffed it into his pocket. He left Pivet drive behind and headed for the store, not bothering to tell the Dursleys because he was certain they wouldn't care.   
  
He arrived and after helping around the store for a few hours, they headed into the back room. Harry was puzzled until he noticed a blue light coming from behind a door. He looked suspiciously at it and Bobby chuckled, "Didn't you ever wonder why I absorbed that wizarding stuff so easily Harry? My wife is a witch!"   
  
Harry looked dumbfounded for a second then grinned, "That's mean surprising me like that..." He didn't really mind though, some people like to surprise people (himself included). Bobby opened the door to reveal a blue swirling portal, through which he pushed Harry, who went through to meet a woman who looked the same age as Bobby, and who had a caring visage.   
  
Bobby soon walked through and introduced his wife, "This is my beautiful wife Vivian O'Brian." He had said this with pride and love.   
  
Harry smiled at her and offered his hand, "Harry James Potter, at your service, mam." He said then bowed slightly to her while shaking her hand. When he stood straight she was smiling at him widely.  
  
"Nice to meet you finally, Harry, Bobby has told me a lot about you," she informed, "Why are you here?" Harry's smile disappeared, replaced by a look of determination (A/N: Can't you tell I like that word?).  
  
"To learn how to protect the people I care about," Harry stated looking pleased that at least this part of his plan was working so far.   
  
"You couldn't have a better teacher, and when he's done, I can teach you harness you potential that I keep hearing about," Vivian said with a smile still on her face.   
  
Harry looked shocked for a second, then smiled, "You would do that for me?"   
  
"Of course, but for a price," Vivian returned, with the same smile that seemed to be ever-present on her face.   
  
"Anything," Harry stated without hesitation, "Anything at all." Vivian smiled and nodded.   
  
"First payment starts now, call me Vivi (A/N: Vivi is a funny name, heh, anyhow...), and second," She said looking directly into his eyes, "Defeat Voldemort, fight him and win, like you have been doing for your entire life...that is all I ask as payment."   
  
Harry nodded, "I would be glad to call you Vivi, and the second one is a given, he must pay for his crimes."  
  
Bobby smiled at his wife, "Okay, now that that is covered, lets eat dinner, but Harry, your training starts tomorrow." He then looked thoughtful, "You don't mind using firearms do you? You will be going through the exact training that is required for military service, so I thought I had better ask."  
  
Harry looked at him for a second, "Whatever it takes Bobby, whatever it takes." Bobby nodded at this and they went to eat dinner.  
  
A/N: I'm gonna skip the training in the story and move directly on to where he goes back to Hogwarts, but if you guys want me to write a side story with the training in it, then just ask.   
  
So...How'd you guys and gals like it? This is my first HP ff and I hope it came out satisfactory. I would like to have a vote, there is going to be a romance in this thing somewhere, but I cant decide who Harry will fall for, so if you respond quick enough, Ill let the girl with the most votes be the lucky one. Choices are Hermione, Cho, or Ginny, the choice is yours (unless I become seriously bored waiting...) R&R plz! 


	2. Returning

Disclaimer is on first chapter!

Ginny Weasley slowly stood by her family on Platform 9 3/4. Hermione, Ron's girlfriend, and one of her confidants, was there waiting with them. Waiting for what you ask? They were waiting for Harry Potter, the family friend and the Boy-Who-Lived. 'And the boy I just can't seem to stop crushing on…' thought Ginny, but if she was honest with herself, she would know that it was more then a crush now. Harry had wedged himself firmly into her heart, and no matter how she tried to forget him in that way, those feelings wouldn't disappear, they only seem to get better every time she saw his eyes. Those eyes that carried so much pain yet could hold the brilliance of a thousand suns when he was happy.

Her musings were cut short however, when a tall man walked towards her family. She turned to get a better a look at him and noticed that he was at least 6'3'' and broad shouldered. He had a black leather trench coat that went all the way to his ankles and a pair of black leather pants, and both seem to have a large number of runes running along the entire cloth, giving him a powerful look The feet of this strange man were covered by black boots that had a plate of stainless steel covering the toe of each boot. His shirt was a black muscle shirt that was tight against his chest, showing off his well-muscled chest. The long black hair was set into a warrior braid and went down to a little past his shoulders. His eyes were covered by a set of shades and his face had a strong look that seemed to demand respect. His most distinguishing feature on his face however, was the tattoo that ran from his left upper-cheek to the middle of his forehead. Its thick black waving lines formed a number of runes set within a border of ancient Celtic lines.

He continued to walk straight at them, and his face had a smile on it that relaxed Ginny's troubled mind. It was a smile that she remembered, but there was no way that this man could be Harry…couldn't he? He reached them in short order and cleared his throat, catching the entire group's attention. They turned as he removed his sunglass and looked down into his coat to put them away. When he looked back up, brilliant green eyes looked over the group, and his smile grew to unimaginable power as his eyes passed over all of them.

"Hey! How you guys been doing?" the man asked cheerfully, his smile never leaving his strong face.

"H-Harry!?" stuttered Ginny. She couldn't get over the new look, but then she realized that this could only be Harry. His eyes gave him away; they had the same brilliance she had earlier been thinking about.

Harry's eyes started to twinkle, shocking her even more, the only person she had seen with eyes that twinkled like that were the Headmaster's. "Yep! Like the new look?" he asked jovially.

"Where have you been?!" asked Hermione, throwing herself on the boy she considered a brother.

Said boy looked down at her as she attempted to crush his rib cage, still smiling, he said, "Just doing a little on the side training little sis."

Hermione beamed up at him and moved to the side so that Molly Weasley could get her chance to finish to crushing of his body. Now, Hermione didn't have the strength to deliver a super-strong bear hug…yet…but Molly, now Molly had the power and the urge to deliver them and Harry felt (and heard) his back give a mighty crack. When Molly finally let go, Harry moved his torso a little to stretch his back and reposition it. His smile had still not left his face as he greeted the older woman, "Is it just me or are you getting stronger?"

Molly blushed and smiled an embarrassed smile. Arthur and Ron each gave Harry a good hand-shake, both chuckling. "Now Harry, where have you been?" asked Molly.

"I went over to an old friend's house after I asked him to train me, Dumbledore approved of my plans and I have kept in constant contact with him, though I have kept a few secrets due to the security of owl travel," they heard a disgruntle hoot as Hedwig flew to his shoulder, "I'm not saying that you would let anyone take my letters girl, its just that people could get a hold of them more easily then I would like."

Hedwig gave another hoot, and Harry responded, soon this dragged out into a playful argument between the master and his familiar. Ginny smiled as she saw Hedwig nip Harry's ear non-to-gently for yet again disagreeing with her, caused him to give a laughing 'ow!' and start another argument. "Um…Harry?" Ginny asked giggling as Hedwig gave another, stronger nip.

"Fine, Hedwig! You're the best owl in the whole-wide world and I should trust you more!" conceded Harry, smiling as Hedwig hooted and puffed out her chest-feathers, and then he turned to the person who tried to get his attention, "Ginny! I forgot to give you a hug! AHA!!!"

With that he grabbed her up and gave her a mighty hug, causing her to squeak before finally returning the hug. He set her down after a little while, though Ginny felt his reluctance to let her go, which sent a happy shiver up her spine. "There, now I've greeted everyone properly…what?" he asked as he noticed that the teenagers had smirks on their faces while the adults shared wide smiles.

Harry cocked his head to the side in a questioning manner, before shrugging his shoulders, "Ok, I guess we should get going, it's almost time for the train to leave.

The other shook themselves and nodded, and everyone said their goodbyes, before the teens headed for a compartment on the train. They all sat down as the train started up, with Harry giving his congratulations to Hermione and Ron, all the while saying that it was about bloody time. Soon the couple had to leave for the prefects compartment, leaving Harry and Ginny alone.

"So, how was your summer, Ginny?" Harry asked, turning his twinkling eyes and dazzling smile to her, causing her to blush a little, which in turn caused Harry's smile to widen and his eyes to go into overdrive.

"It wasn't too bad, though I worried a lot about you, plus Dean broke up with me half-way through, which in truth doesn't really bother me," she said, looked over to see his smile widen even more.

"Sooo…your without a boyfriend at this moment…," he said adopting the thinker pose, causing Ginny's eyebrow to arch up. He turned to her and his face got a serious look, "Ginny, you're a great person, and I would like to know you more and even though your over your crush on me, I would like to give us a try, that is if you agree." His eyes held a mixture of pleading, hope, and fear of rejection.

Ginny's mouth fell open, and for a few seconds all she could do was stare at him, until a smile that could power the sun appeared on her face, "Of course, Harry! I would love to get to know you more and give us a try!"

Harry smiled matched hers in intensity before he grabbed her up in a hug. "Great! You won't regret it!"

Ginny settled into his embrace, giving a contented sigh. She could feel his happiness at her acceptance and she could feel his deep caring for her, and she knew, with the right cultivation, that deep caring could turn into an unbreakable love for her, and she shuddered happily at the thought of cultivating that feeling. They sat back, with Ginny resting against his shoulder and talked about everything and nothing, getting to know each other. Ginny loved the feeling of his muscled arm and chest, for he had taken off his coat when they had entered.

'Perfect muscles for a seeker,' she thought lazily, loving the ripple of them when she traced her finger of them. She ran her finger down his arm, until she got to his wrist, where she felt something weird. Looking down, she noticed nothing, but she felt a bump that shouldn't be there. She leaned down to get a better look, looking back up to see Harry sleeping. She picked a little at the bump and felt it move a little, like a very tight…shirt! She realized what it was then, 'What's he doing with one of these? What has he to hide from everyone?' she thought.

It was a special magical material that acted like an invisibility cloak, only it covered the skin that wanted to hide scars or things of that nature and only showed unblemished skin, thus perfectly hiding the scarred tissue. Ginny rolled the material up a little and saw nothing till she got around the elbow. Scars began to appear as she got higher and higher, making her eyes go wide.

"Before I went to Hogwarts, I was beaten continuously, sometimes even after I got back from Hogwarts, for even the smallest infraction. The Dursleys hated me, and whenever I did something wrong, they would beat me, even if it wasn't my fault," Harry said quietly, looking down into her eyes, letting her see the years of torment that he had endured, finally able to talk about it, "I haven't told anyone except Madame Pomphry, and even she only got half-truths. I had her take a witches oath never to tell a soul about them, even Dumbledore doesn't know. She was the one who got the shirt for me, though she said that I should tell someone about what they did to me, but this is the first time I have let anyone else see them."

"W-Why…would they do something to someone like you?" Ginny asked with tears in her eyes as Harry stood, removing both his visible shirt and the special shirt that hid his scars. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the scars of his youth, covering his chest arms, and she saw quite a few leading down to his legs.

"I think they wanted me to die on them, though they only hit me in areas that could be hidden easily, that's why I have only the scar on my face," he said as he traced a few scars, no doubt remembering the situations behind them.

"Why don't you tell anyone about them?" Ginny asked, tears in her eyes. Here was the boy she was certain that she was beginning to love, tracing scars that must have been hell to receive.

"I…I am ashamed of them," He said, turning his head to hide his tears from his girlfriend, not wanted her to see him weak. His eyes closed as he remembered how he got a few of them, only to open again when her fingers firmly gripped his chin, turning his face so that she could look into his eyes. He looked deeply into the eyes that had haunted his dreams for the past few weeks, and shivered when he saw the barely contained rage in them.

"You have NOTHING to be ashamed of, you hear me?" Ginny said, in a voice that dared him to disagree with her, "You're one of the most caring and loving individuals that I have ever met! Your heart makes you powerful, Harry. Its capacity to love is what sets you apart from every one else! Just because they never saw that doesn't mean that you should be ashamed of something you had no control over."

Harry sniffled a little, then his arms shot forward and pulled her to him, crushing her to his chest, "Thanks Ginny, you have no idea how much that means to me." Ginny smiled into his chest as she snuggled closer to him, before pulling away and smiling up at him.

"Never forget what I said Harry, now, you might want to get your shirt back on before Ron and Hermione come back in to see me snogging you senseless while your half-naked," she stated giggling. Harry chuckled and pulled both shirts on, before leaning back into the seat with Ginny sitting in his lap, her head lying on his shoulder.

This was how Ron and Hermione found them later, causing their eyes to widen. "Now what's this then?" asked Ron, a smirk playing at his lips.

"What's look like Ron, I do believe I am now officially dating your younger sister, who I might add, is a very wise woman and I plan on keeping her for a VERY long time," replied Harry, smiling up at his two friends.

Hermione smiled, "Ha! You owe me money Ron! I told you it would happen this way!"

Harry's right eyebrow arched up in question, "Hermione gambling? What's the world coming too?"

Hermione blushed, looking down, "I'm not a total rule-follower, Harry! I still like to cut loose every ONCE in awhile."

Harry laughed, "Oh, I know that, but I have a feeling you're going to…cut loose…a lot more then usual now." He said this with a glance towards Ron, who blushed as well.

"What about you, mate?" Ron asked after a second to recover, thinking he had him.

Harry smirked, "Have I ever once paid attention to the rules? Now that I have an extra incentive to break them, I think I'll be serving quite a few detentions this year, not that I think it won't be worth it." Ginny giggled, and then realized that she had yet to kiss him.

"I just realized we haven't actually kissed yet…" she started to say before her lips were caught by Harry's as he proceeded to shut down her entire thinking process with a kiss that left Ginny shaking from the emotion behind it.

"Get a room!" yelled Ron, turning around, and sitting down while Hermione plopped down beside him.

A few minutes later, the Harry and Ginny broke apart for much needed air. "You were saying?" Harry asked after recovering. Ginny opened her eyes and gave him a dreamy look before leaning back against him. After awhile, Harry gently picked her up and set her aside so he could stand and stretch, chuckling at her grumbling about upsetting her comfort.

As he was stretching, the door to their compartment opened to reveal Draco Malfoy, "Well, well, well, if it isn…"

He never got the chance to finish his tirade as Harry's hand wrapped around his face and slammed him hard against the compartment door opposite them, no doubt scaring the students within. Harry lifted him a till he was a few inches off the ground and then turned his head so he could look at the two flunkies who always followed him around, "Leave, NOW."

His tone scared them enough that they turned and ran away to their own compartment. As he watched them leave, he slowly turned his head to look into the fear filled eyes of Draco. He stared into them a little while causing Draco to shake at the penetrating gaze.

After a few seconds of scaring the Slytherin, Harry began his talk, "I'm warning you Draco, if you so much as look at me, or any of my friends in the wrong way, I'll shatter your skull with my own hands." To give his threat merit, he started to squeeze the other boy's head slightly, earning a whimper from the usually arrogant fool. "I will no longer tolerate neither you, your house, nor Snape," Harry stated, "This is your only warning, obey it, or face the consequences, your choice."

He held Draco there a few more seconds before letting him go and stepping back as the other teen ran like the devil was at his heels. Only then did Harry notice that he had an audience, who looked at him with shock, before someone started to clap, followed by the others. Harry smirked and gave a bow, before stepping back into his compartment.

His three companions looked at him with shock, although it quickly changed to smirks and laughing. Harry smiled and sat back down in his seat, pulling Ginny back into his lap and giving her a light kiss, before settling back to enjoy the rest of the ride back to his true home.

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long wait. I promise to right more chapters faster. Now, I would like to dedicate this ch. to the two reviewers who reviewed my first chapter, and thank Ami Rose for her concern about the earthquakes. Now, I'm off to take more mortrin and read some while my body recovers from having my wisdom teeth taken out…ouchy…


	3. Love knows no bounds

Disclaimer in first chapter!

Harry never got the chance however, for as soon as he had settled himself and Ginny in for the rest of the trip, Hermione finally realized something, "Harry, what are those runes on your clothing and your forehead mean? I can read a few of the ones on your clothing but none of the ones on your head."

Harry looked up at her, studying her for a few seconds before responding with his own question, "Tell me, what do you know about ancient magic?"

Hermione thought for a minute, "I know that before the magic we use today was brought about, there were three different types of magic; Rune magic, Druid magic, and Necromancy. The last two were also known as life and death magic respectively."

Harry smiled at her, "Good job! Now, soon after I started my training, I endured a test to show what skills, if any, that I had."

Hermione started to put one and one together and her eyes widened, "Which one?"

Harry looked out the window for a second, his smiled diminishing. They all could see clearly that he was arguing with himself.

"It's okay Harry, you can tell us anything," Ginny informed while looking up from his lap.

Harry returned his gaze to them, and then sighed. "I am a Rune Master, Necromancer Lord, and a High Druid," he informed.

His three companions just stared at him, until Hermione spluttered to start, "B-but…how?"

Harry looked at her, and then mumbled something, before saying in a louder voice, "I don't know, but magic just seems to…I don't know….like me."

Seeing their confused faces, he tried to elaborate his thoughts, "Magic comes to me easier then anyone, I can see it in everything, I can feel it in everything, hell, I can even HEAR it sometimes."

"I know magic is a part of everything, even an ordinary pebble has some magic in it, but with me…it's as if I AM magic, everything about me points to the fact that magic flows through me like electricity through copper," Harry said, his face taking a confused expression.

"Not to mention the fact that my parents were a Druid and a Necromancer," he said, his face turning into a smile, remembering the day he learned that fact.

"How do you know that?" asked Ginny, recovering from the fact that her new boyfriend appears to be a magical conduit.

"We did a test to see if anyone in my family possessed these skills," responded Harry, "On both sides of the family, I am the first in a long time to be able to even use Rune magic, let alone be a Rune Master."

"However, my father was a Grand Necromancer, though he didn't openly display that fact, for obvious reasons, and my mother was a High Druid, and she also didn't display these skills," Harry said, the pride he felt for his parentage obvious, "I inherited their skills, but that still doesn't explain what I am…"

Ron looked at his confused and troubled friend, and then smiled as a response came to his mind, "You're Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter, honorary member of the Weasley family, and don't you ever forget that, mate!"

Harry looked up at Ron, his face breaking into a thankful grin, "Thanks, I needed that."

Hermione also was looking at Ron, with an expression of disbelief on her face, before it turned into a smile. She leaned over and kissed him, "Sometimes, you just come out and say something wise beyond your years."

Ron blushed but accepted the kiss happily, before turning back to the two people across from him, "So, anything else we should know about you, Harry?"

Harry smiled, "I can take the form of anything, and I mean ANYTHING, I have dragon blood flowing through my veins…"

"WHAT!" yelled Hermione, looking at Harry as if he was insane, which she probably thought was the case.

Harry's smile turned into a smirk, "When I finished my training, I still had a few weeks left of summer, and I learned there was a big dragon colony near by, so I went there and spent two of my three weeks left there."

"While there, a killer virus came, infecting the entire colony." Harry informed, his smile disappeared and returned as a frown, "The ancient ones barely shook it off, but the younger ones and the eggs that were infected couldn't fight it off."

"I realized, after a bit of meditation that the virus, like all things, had magic in it." Harry said, his eyes closing, "So, I spent three days, in the same spot, no food, water, or rest, meditating, drawing the virus out of those infected and into myself."

Ginny looked like she was about to interrupt, but held her tongue so that he could explain himself, but couldn't refrain from thinking that Harry was going to get a smack on the head for risking his life…again.

"When I had gathered all of the virus in me, and there was no chance of it infecting others, I spent the next two days rooted to the spot, again with no rest, food, or water, and systematically destroyed the viruses in my blood stream," Harry said, before a small smile was found on his face, "While I was fighting the virus, I could feel Yamira, one of the Dragon Matriarchs, not only encouraging me, but also personally guarding me, not letting anyone or anything near me."

"After I had finished with the cleansing, I was terribly weak, my body, which I had just gotten into top form, was in really bad condition and my immune system had been all but destroyed in the protracted fight with the virus," Harry informed, "Yamira, sensing my trouble, offered me a choice, to become one of her 'children' or die a slow death."

"Naturally, I chose to become one of her own, which required certain sacrifices, namely a good bit of my blood and a transfusion of her own into my system, not to mention a magical ritual that hurt like the dickens," Harry stopped for a second, thinking, before mumbling, "Where the hell did I hear that phrase from…it sounds funny…hurt like the dickens…"

After a good chuckle, while the others resisted the urge to hurt him and tell him to continue the story, he started again, "When her blood was absorbed into my body, my very soul was changed, no longer was a I only the child of my true parents, but now I was also the son of the Dragon Matriarch Yamira."

"Before, I shared a connection with the dragons through my druidic skills, but now…now I have one because I am a dragon, I can hear them, even now, just as I can hear the forests around us and the spirits of the dead," Harry said, his eyes closing and his head tilting back, listening, "I am now not fully human, a third of my blood is that of the dragons."

"I hope this changes nothing between us, I was going to tell you, but I kind of was trying to figure out HOW to tell you," Harry spoke softly, looking back at them.

Ginny smiled at him, "So what if you're not totally human, you're always the Harry that maybe someday I will spend the rest of my days with."

Hermione and Ron smiled at him as well, then Hermione spoke in to him in a tone that said that to think otherwise was insane, "You have been a friend to us for five years, Harry, and we hope that you still will be for the rest of time."

Ron nodded his agreement to her statement, already knowing that was all he needed to do, "Can you turn into a dragon?"

Harry smiled, his face showing an immense gratitude to his friends, "Yea, and if you want the truth, my eyes should look like those of a reptile and I should have fangs, but I keep my looks like this, as not to scare people."

"You'll have to show us sometime, Harry," Ginny said looking up at him. She like this position very much, and was planning on using it a lot through the year.

"Oh, you'll see it, of that I have no doubt…a little warning however," Harry replied, but still kept a smirk, "Dragons are FIERCELY protective of their mates, family, and friends."

Ginny's cheeks reddened a little, "Let me guess, even though your human side knows that I am your girlfriend, your dragon side will believe that I am your mate, right?"

Harry grinned sheepishly, "Yea, that about sums it up, and since I consider Hermione and the Weasleys family, well, you get the idea."

"So pretty much anyone who insults, taunts, threatens, hurts, or does anything to us that you don't like, your dragon side will rip into him or her?" asked Hermione.

"Yep," Harry said, his smirk returning, "So you might want to pass that around." His eyes held a mirthful twinkle as he thought about the situations that would arise with the Slytherin house.

Ron was following Harry's line of thought, and let out a chuckle, "I pity the Slytherins, mate!"

They all laughed, and they all sat back to enjoy the remaining 2 hours of the trip. Half an hour later, Ron and Hermione left to go on 'patrol.' Both Harry and Ginny knew that they would be doing other things besides what they said they were going to do. They leaned back, only to be interrupted by their compartment door opening once more, admitting a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, which Harry's senses identified as a disguised Tonks.

"Wotcher, Harry," said Tonks, "I was told to come tell you that I'm your new personal bodyguard, and that I'm gonna be undercover as a student." 

She said this in a slighting frightened tone, which told Harry that she was scared that he would be angry with the arrangement. Harry, however, just smiled at her, and nodded his head.

"It's okay with me, Tonks, I'd rather have you watching over me then the others, though your going to have to share me with Ginny," he said grinning.

Tonks gave a relieved smile, then she seemed to finally notice the position of the two teens across from her. Her smile faltered, which both the teens saw. "So when did you two become a couple?" she asked them.

Ginny was thinking hard about what she was observing. Tonks and her had become friends over the summer, because the Weasley family had been stuck living at Grimmauld Place for the entire summer, and Tonks had stayed there as well. The two had met often and talked, enjoying an easy friendship.

Ginny wasn't blind and stupid, she knew that Tonks also liked Harry, quite a lot actually, almost as much as she herself like him. She knew it had started when Tonks had been Harry's guard after fourth year, in which Harry had confided his problems and his fears in late night talks with Tonks. He had also confided in Ginny through owls during that trying summer.

No, Ginny wasn't jealous, and she didn't mind at all that Tonks was starting to fall for Harry. She had learned that Tonks had a bad history with men, and when she had gotten to know Harry, she had fallen for him hard, just as Ginny had.

She knew that Harry also liked Tonks in a way as well, and yet again, that didn't matter to her at all, for she knew that Harry would be faithful to her till the end of time, and sharing his heart, which to some girls would be a no-no, was in no way a bad thing to her.

She could also tell that Harry also knew that Tonks liked him, and that it hurt him terribly to see that she was in pain while he was happy and content in a very promising relationship with another girl.

Tonks was putting up a good fight to show that she didn't care, but both Harry and Ginny could see her 'wounded animal' body language. Ginny looked over at Harry, and although he hid it very well while talking small talk with Tonks, she saw in his eyes that he was saddened greatly by the pain he caused Tonks, but also that he would not jeopardize his relationship with her.

Ginny looked over at Tonks and saw the same things; pain about the arrangements and a decision not to interfere with their relationship. Ginny came to a decision right there and then, one that would hopefully be accepted by all of them.

She stood up and walked over to Tonks, who looked up at her confused, took her hand and sat next to her.

"Tonks, I know what your feeling right now, and I also know that we are all feeling something like that," she informed Tonks, "I know that you are falling for Harry, just as I am, and I see that we both are forever going to hold him in our hearts."

Ginny sighed, then continued, "And though it may seem that he doesn't like you the way he likes me, I can see it in his eyes that it hurt him to see you like this, and that he likes you as well."

"I propose a solution to all our pain," She said, her face having a gentle smile, "I don't mind sharing him, because I know what his heart is capable of, and I know that you know as well."

Tonks looked shocked at her statement, but her shocked look turned to hope and she looked into Ginny's smiling face, trying to see if she was telling the truth. Ginny nodded, her face now a full smile, and they both embraced.

They both turned to Harry to see his reaction, only to see he had a serious face, "On two conditions." The two girls held their breath as they waited to hear the conditions .

"First, and most important, I wanna see your true self, and second, I need your help with my Metamorphagis skills," he said, his face breaking into an open smile that made both girls itch to kiss him.

The girls both smiled widely and Tonks immediately agreed to the terms, though inside she was apprehensive about showing her true self. Then she realized that he had just said he was a Metamorphagis. She smiled even wider, but then stood up and her form changed to that of a nicely shaped woman with red hair and grey eyes.

Harry grinned, "Now that's better, you look MUCH more beautiful as your true self." Tonks blushed, further increasing her beauty in Harry's eyes, while Ginny smirked.

Harry seemed to think for a second, then a smile came to his face. "I guess I really do suffer from the Potter curse," he said with a laugh, and when the two girls looked at him questioningly, he elaborated, "It's said that a Potter's lover or lovers will always have red hair, and that he will find him or her while they are young.

"So your saying that we were meant to be?" asked Tonks. Harry smiled and motion with his hands for the two of them to come to him. They gladly moved over to him and shared his lap, both having their heads resting on a different shoulder.

"I want you to feel deep with your magical core, and tell me how it is," he told them, his eyes closing while he followed his own orders, "Can you feel it?"

The girls closed their eyes, and after a few seconds, they indeed felt their souls within their magical core. It was pulsing with happiness, sending off waves of contentment through their bodies.

They smiled and Ginny said what was on both their minds, "It feels…ecstatic, it is happy with what is happening."

"That is your soul, my dear ones, and it is telling you that you have found own you are perfect with," Harry informed, "Let me show you mine."

With that he gently accessed their minds and created a link into his core. The two girls looked on as they saw his magical core, which surrounded his soul. It was a mass of different colors, each swirling and joining other colors, making new ones. It was beautiful as it pulsed with the beat of his heart. Then they went deeper, and saw a sight that brought tears to their physical eyes. His soul was a pure white, but long angry red lines seemed to be carved onto its glowing surface.

The girls were no expert on reading souls, but they knew what his soul's appearance meant. The pure, glowing white color meant that Harry had both kind and loving to the max, one who abhorred violence, but would fight when necessary. The red gouges meant that, so far in his short life time, he had endured much pain and hardship, enough to scar his kind soul.

But as they watched, the gouges lessened and even some of the smaller ones closed up all the way. They were confused till Harry decided to fill them in on what that meant, "Your mere presence is enough to instigate its healing."

He had tears in his eyes as they pulled out of his core, he brought them close to his chest, "Thank you, for everything you've ever done for me…"

Ginny and Tonks smiled watery smiles, and hugged him back. "We wouldn't want it any other way, Harry, and no matter what, now that I have seen and felt what I have, I wont give this up, no matter what happens," Ginny said happily, "No ones taking us away from you."

Tonks nodded fiercely, while Harry let out a low growl and protectively tightened his hold on them, making the girls look up at him, only to see his eyes narrowed. His eyes had changed however, from the normal human eyes, to those of a dragon, and Ginny knew that Harry's new dragon side had kicked in response the wording she had used.

She smiled, rubbing his chest comfortingly and reiterated her statement, "Don't worry, Harry, no one will take me or Tonks from you." Then she remembered that they hadn't explained about Harry's summer to Tonks, but when she looked over at Tonks, she saw that the young woman was not in the least frightened, but indeed was fascinated by this side of Harry.

Harry finally calmed down and sheepishly told Tonks about his summer holiday. When he was finished, Tonks was looking at him with a prideful smile, "Looks like my mate is one powerful S.O.B."

Harry blushed and smiled, but then felt Ginny lightly pulling on his special shirt. When he looked at her, she was looking expectantly at him.

Harry sighed, and lifted them both off his lap and stood in the center of the compartment, with Tonks looking questioningly at him.

"Tonks, I want you to see how I really look, so one day, you wont be surprised with what you see," Harry said softly, apprehensive of showing his scars.

He raised his first shirt over his head and set it down on the opposite seat, then proceeded to take off his special shirt. Tonks eyes widened considerably as the shirt finally came off.

"W-What happened to you, Harry?" she asked horrified. Here was the man she had just found out was her soul-mate, covered in horrendous scars.

He looked down, unable to explain to her. His emotions, although greatly lifted now that he had two loving girlfriends with him, were still raw from his earlier explanation and shame.

Ginny noticed and explained to Tonks in soft tones, while Harry looked shamefully to the ground. He still remembered Ginny's speech to him, but he knew that it would be a while before he could talk about this without feeling shame. Tonks immediately got up and gave the same speech to him.

He smiled and thanked her, before pulling both shirts back on and sitting down. He pulled both girls back onto his lap, and thanked them again, and proceeded to happily talk with them, with the occasional mind numbing kiss involved, throughout the few hours of the trip.

AN: Good God! I haven't updated in awhile...this chappy has been in my comp forever...and i beg those of you who actually read my bad writing to forgive me...i plan on writing a lot more now that its summer break...ive also started another story, which i will also be working on...so if u like HONKs as much as me and like multiships as much me check it out, it aint great, but i hope with imput i could make it good enough to get at least SOME attention. 


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